Workshop for over 140 finance specialists, organised with EU support

On 15 August, about 140 specialists of the Ministry of Finance and its subordinate institutions – Customs Service, State Tax Service, Financial Inspection, Public Procurement Agency, Center of Information Technologies in Finance, State Chamber for Marking Supervision, External Assistance Program Management Office, gathered for the workshop “Public Finance – Driver of the European Integration” an activity organised with the support of the EU High Level Advisers’ (HLA) Mission.

The participants, including top and middle-management of the institutions, had the opportunity to review the state of play in Moldova’s EU integration process, with a special emphasis on those eight chapters of the EU acquis in which the Ministry of Finance has a leading role: Free movement of capital; Public procurement; Financial services; Economic and monetary policy; Taxation; Customs Union; Financial control; Financial and budgetary provisions.

Also, the participants had the chance to test their knowledge about the process of the country’s European integration, by engaging in a dynamic quiz with technical questions and various curious facts related to each chapter of the EU Acquis.

Opening the event, the Finance Minister Veronica Sireteanu, stated: “Accession to the EU is associated with many changes, some of them long-awaited, others painful, some courageous, and others necessary. The Ministry of Finance has a very important role in this process, ensuring, at the same time, the stability and integrity of the country’s financial system in close correlation with the objectives of the Public Finance Management Strategy.” 

The EU HLA on Customs and Tax Policy, Rosario De Blasio, underlined: “In March 2023, Moldova underwent the second assessment, building on knowledge and experience gained from the longstanding close cooperation with the European Union. The results of this assessment are crucial for Moldova to further pursue the European integration path. For this, significant efforts have to be joined with strong motivation, sometimes, going beyond our own capacities,” concluded the EU HLA.

According to the event organisers, such opportunities are vital for keeping the knowledge of all those directly involved in paving the way towards EU accession fresh and up-to-date and continuously consolidating their skills, thus speeding up reforms’ implementation.